Box Score NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. (May 2) – The Waynesburg University baseball team got a crucial three-game weekend series against Westminster off to a strong start on Friday at the Titans' home field. After giving up three runs in the first inning, the Yellow Jackets settled down and posted the final 11 tallies of the contest to pick up an 11-3 victory.
Waynesburg (15-23, 11-11) ace starting pitcher
Brian Resnik struggled with some uncharacteristic control issues in the opening frame, when he allowed three runs on three hits and three walks to put the Jackets in a 3-0 hole. Resnik's teammates picked him up by scoring two runs in the top of the second, mostly by taking advantage of several Titan (11-22, 8-13) miscues.
Freshman third baseman
Luke Carter led the frame off by being hit by a pitch. Senior center fielder
Clay Roman followed by reaching on an error, before the Jackets loaded the bases on a bunt single by senior catcher
Marc Timmons. After Westminster picked up the first out of the inning, junior right fielder
Eric Crum drove in two runs on a fielder's choice that included another Westminster mishap.
The bats cooled off significantly over the next four innings, until sophomore first baseman
Matt Bensinger led off with a double in the top of the sixth. A sacrifice bunt by junior leftfielder
Ben Shorthouse put Bensinger at third base. Freshman third baseman
Luke Carter came through in the clutch by smacking an RBI single into right field that tied the game at 3-3.
That run-scoring base knock by Carter opened the flood gates for the Jacket offense, which scored four runs in the top of the seventh and four more in the eighth to put the game out of reach. The Orange and Black loaded the bases with one out on the board in the seventh inning with Shorthouse coming to the plate. The junior drove in Crum for the eventual game-winning run (4-3) on a single. Carter followed with a run-scoring fielder's choice, before Roman delivered a two-run double that put the visitors ahead 7-3.
With Resnik rolling along on the mound, the Jackets put the finishing touches on Friday evening win's by plating four scores in the eighth. Bensinger and freshman designated hitter
Jonathon Kletzli connected on runs-scoring singles, while Carter came up with a sacrifice fly RBI and Westminster's fifth-and-final error of the contest allowed run number 11 to score.
The win pulled Waynesburg to within one half-game of Saint Vincent for the fourth and final spot in the upcoming Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) playoffs. SVC begins a three-game series against the number-one team in the PAC, Washington & Jefferson, tomorrow.
The Jackets were led in their latest win by Crum and Bensinger, who connected on a game-high three base hits each. Four different Waynesburg hitters scored a game-high two runs each, while Carter recorded a contest-best three RBI. The Orange and Black out-hit Westminster by a 14-to-9 margin and was helped out by five Titan errors.
Resnik recorded yet another complete-game victory, his fifth of the year, to improve his overall record on the mound to 8-4. He allowed nine hits and three walks, while striking out eight opposing hitters.
Waynesburg and Westminster are scheduled to meet up again tomorrow for a seven-game PAC doubleheader. First pitch of the opener is scheduled for 1 p.m.
